This invention relates generally to hydrants and components thereof and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to subcombinations of a nozzle assembly for a hydrant, an operating assembly for a valve stem of a valve of a hydrant, hydrant standpipe coupling assemblies and method, and combinations of these subcombinations in a hydrant.
Hydrants connected to waterlines of a community provide water outlets throughout the community for use in fighting fires, for example. Such hydrants of necessity need to be located conspicuously so that they are readily accessible when needed. This accessibility for their intended use, however, also exposes the hydrants to vandalism.
Such vandalism has included the removal of hydrant nozzles which are needed to connect fire hoses to the hydrants. A hydrant without a nozzle is, of course, not usable until it is fixed. This creates the danger of rendering the hydrant inoperative when a fire occurs, and it requires additional public funds to be spent to repair it. Therefore, there is the need for an improved nozzle assembly which is difficult for unauthorized individuals to remove.
Vandals have also damaged hydrants by disassembling their standpipe sections. That is, the main conduit portion of a hydrant is often comprised of two or more stacked standpipe sections. In at least one conventional form, these sections are bolted together at flanged joints which have been unbolted or otherwise separated by vandals. Therefore, there is also the need for a tamper-resistant standpipe coupling assembly and method.
Another needed coupling feature is a floating seal ring which provides longitudinally movable seals against each of two joined standpipe sections disposed within the means for securing the two sections together. Such a floating seal allows the securing means to be simplified in that the securing means need not itself seal as this is accomplished by the floating seal ring which, because of its longitudinal movability, adjusts to whatever position the securing means causes it to assume longitudinally along the joint. Such a floating seal also permits a small amount of separation between the two standpipe sections while maintaining internal pressure integrity.
Not only does the accessibility of hydrants expose the hydrants to vandalism, but also it exposes the hydrants to all types of weather conditions. One result of this latter exposure can be that moving components, such as the valve actuating assembly by which the valve of the hydrant is operated, can rust or otherwise become inoperable if it is not adequately protected. One way of protecting this actuating mechanism is to lubricate the mechanism. To do this, a liquid lubricant, such as oil, is maintained in a lubricant reservoir through which the operating parts of the mechanism move. Care needs to be taken in filling some types of these reservoirs because if too much fluid is used when the actuating mechanism is in a particular position, the lubricant can lock or prevent normal operation of the mechanism when the actuating mechanism is attempted to be moved to another position. That is, in these types excessive lubricant fills the volume through which the operating parts of the mechanism need to move so that these operating parts are hydraulically blocked or locked by the lubricating fluid. This problem is referred to herein as hydralock. To obviate the necessity of having to measure carefully a predetermined amount of lubricant when filling a lubricant reservoir and to obviate the necessity of having to be concerned with the position of the operating mechanism when the reservoir is filled, there is the need for an improved operating assembly which is not susceptible to hydralock.
Each of the aforementioned features is individually needed and useful on its own within any particular overall hydrant design. They are also useful in their various combinations defining new and improved hydrants, which hydrants can incorporate other improved features, such as a specific design of a valve member retaining and sealing assembly.